8 Biotech Stocks To Watch This Week

Clinical trials are major catalysts for biotech/pharma companies as positive study data can boost their stock price while unfavorable results can send the stocks plummeting.

The success rate of phase I clinical programs is the highest, say 63%, while it is the lowest for phase II trials - i.e. 30%. The phase III trials, which are the longest and most expensive trials to conduct, are said to have a success rate of 58%, according to a report from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization on "Clinical Development Success Rates" over the past decade (2006-2015).

Listed below are some of the companies that may report their clinical trial results *this week (if the companies stick to their timeline).

AC Immune is a Swiss-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing drugs for neurodegenerative diseases.

The Company's lead product candidate is Crenezumab, out-licensed to Genentech, under phase III testing for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease including the first-ever Alzheimer's disease prevention trial.

Next in the pipeline is ACI-24, a liposomal therapeutic anti-Abeta vaccine, wholly owned by AC Immune. ACI-24 is under phase II study in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, and under phase 1b study for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease-like characteristics in adults with Down Syndrome (DS).

The other clinical candidates include ACI-35, outlicensed to Janssen Pharmaceuticals, under phase 1b study in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, and RO7105705, outlicensed to Genentech, under phase II study in people with prodromal-to-mild Alzheimer's disease.

Watch out for...

Interim data from low dose cohort of the phase Ib study of ACI-24 for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease-like characteristics in adults with Down Syndrome is due this month.

ACIU has traded in a range of $7.16 to $17.40 in the last 1 year. The stock closed Monday's (Dec.24) trading at $8.93, up 1.94%.

Heat Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies against cancer.

The Company's lead drug candidate is HS-110, which is being evaluated in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s (BMY) Opdivo, for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a phase II trial.

Marinus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapeutics to treat epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorder. Its lead drug candidate is Ganaxolone, which is being developed in three different dose forms, IV, capsule and liquid.

Watch out for...

A phase II proof-of-concept study of Ganaxolone IV in patients with refractory status epilepticus is underway, with initial data due this month.

Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) is defined as status epilepticus that continues despite treatment with benzodiazepines and one antiepileptic drug. Status epilepticus refers to a continuous seizure lasting more than 30 minutes, or two or more seizures without full recovery of consciousness between any of them. (Source: NCBI).

MRNS has traded in a range of $2.36 to $10.54 in the last 1 year. The stock closed Monday's trading at $2.60, up 8.33%.

The Company's lead drug candidate is Vicinium, which is under a phase III trial in patients with high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, dubbed VISTA.

On May 21, 2018, the Company reported encouraging three-month data from its ongoing VISTA study. However, despite the encouraging data, Sesen shares tumbled 23% that day as 4 treatment-related serious adverse events that were reported in the trial, including acute kidney injury or renal failure and cholestatic hepatitis, spooked the investors.

Watch out for...

The six-month data from the ongoing VISTA trial is due this month.

SESN has traded in a range of $0.75 to $3.50 in the last 1 year. The stock closed Monday's trading at $1.02, up 6.24%.